Pictured Above: Senior outfielder Trey Nicosia and junior starter, Austin Goeke

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Staten Island, NY - Junior right-hander Austin Goeke (Bordentown, NJ/The Hun School) pitched seven strong innings while senior CF Trey Nicosia (State College, PA/State College Area) connected on two hits and drove in two runs as the Wagner College Seahawks defeated the Fairleigh Dickinson University Knights, 6-3, in the opener of a Northeast Conference (NEC) doubleheader today at Richmond County Ballpark.

With the win, the Green & White improve to 12-26 on the year and 7-14 in league play while the Knights fall to 19-22 overall and 9-11 in conference contests.

Nicosia went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and 2 RBIs. Junior catcher Brendan Benecke (Jackson, NJ/Jackson Liberty) also went 2-for-4 against the Knights. Sophomore LF Anthony Godino (Thornwood, NY/Pleasantville) went 1-for-3 while driving in 2 RBIs in the win. 

In Goeke's seven innings, the third-year Seahawk surrendered seven hits and gave up three earned runs while walking three and striking out five batters.  Of his 97 pitches, Goeke was able to throw 64 of those for strikes en route to his fourth win of the season (4-3). Senior RHP Nathan Hunt (Kirtland, OH/Hawken School) pitched two scoreless innings of relief, giving up two hits and striking out one for his first save of the season.

FDU's catcher Patrick McClure led the Knights' offense, going 3-for-4 with an RBI. Ryan Brennan and Bobby Romano each added two hits with Brennan adding an RBI.
Knights' starter, Timothy Quinn, lasted 6.2 innings in suffering his second loss of the season (3-2). Quinn was tagged for eight hits, six runs (four earned) while walking one and striking out two.

After a 1-2-3 inning top of the first, Wagner got the scoring going in its half of the frame, grabbing a 2-0 advantage. Nicosia laced a double down the left field line and came in to score on a throwing error by FDU's shortstop. Romano. Freshman DH Phil Capra (North Salem, NY/North Salem) sent a single up the middle, scoring Ruta to give the Seahawks the two-run lead.

FDU cut the deficit to one, 2-1, in the top of the second as Brennan homered to left. Goeke settled down, retiring the Knights in order in the fifth. In the bottom of the inning, Wagner erupted for four runs, claiming a 6-1 lead.

A walk to freshman 1B Anthony Harrold (Woodbury, NJ/Gloucester Catholic) and a single by sophomore 2B Kyle Brey (Middletown, NJ/Middletown South) put runners on first and second before a wild pitch advanced both to second and third, respectively. On a first-pitch fastball, Nicosia ripped a single through the left side, plating both Brey and Harrold.  Godino then tacked on two more with a deep double to left. 

The visitors chipped into the lead in the top of the seventh and eighth innings. Evan McDonald belted a home run to left and in the eighth. McClure singled home Romano from second before Hunt was able to regain his composure and close the game. 

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